Volume 24 Issue 3
Mar.  2026
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Article Navigation >  Chinese Journal of General Practice  > 2026  >  24(3): 517-520
JIA Tingrui, WANG Shiqi, LIU Quzhi. Meta-analysis of the intervention effect of meaning-oriented therapy on depressive mood[J]. Chinese Journal of General Practice, 2026, 24(3): 517-520. doi: 10.16766/j.cnki.issn.1674-4152.004432
Citation: JIA Tingrui, WANG Shiqi, LIU Quzhi. Meta-analysis of the intervention effect of meaning-oriented therapy on depressive mood[J]. Chinese Journal of General Practice, 2026, 24(3): 517-520. doi: 10.16766/j.cnki.issn.1674-4152.004432
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Meta-analysis of the intervention effect of meaning-oriented therapy on depressive mood

doi: 10.16766/j.cnki.issn.1674-4152.004432
  • 1.

    Institute of Education and Psychology, School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210098, China

Funds:

 B/2023/01/196

  • Received Date: 2025-07-08
    Available Online: 2026-06-02
    Abstract
  •   Objective  To systematically evaluate the overall effectiveness of meaning-oriented therapy in alleviating depressive moods through a meta-analysis, and to further explore potential moderators influencing the intervention outcomes, thereby providing evidence-based support for psychological intervention practices.  Methods  A comprehensive search was conducted in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, China Biology Medicine, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase for RCTs involving meaning-oriented therapy for depressive mood. The search covered all publications up to May 2024. The CMA V3.3 software was used to calculate pooled effect sizes and conduct moderator analyses.  Results  A total of 26 RCTs were included, with a combined sample size of 2, 105 participants and the age range of 11.00 to 67.75 years. The meta-analysis showed a significant overall effect size (SMD=-0.869, 95% CI: -1.017 to -0.722, P < 0.05). Moderator analyses indicated that, in the meta-regression, the intervention effects were significantly influenced by the proportion of female participants and dropout rate (P < 0.05). Subgroup analyses further revealed that therapy type, study quality, and geographic region had significant moderating effects on the intervention outcomes (P < 0.05), whereas the moderating effect of the depression assessment tool was not significant.  Conclusion  Meaning-oriented therapy has a significant effect in reducing depressive mood. Future research should focus on developing more localized and systematic meaning-oriented therapy protocols within the Chinese context and further examining their practical application and efficacy.

     

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